I am going cycle touring and I am packing a first aid kit to take with me. What items are essential to have in there, and what items are 'extra'? I have found it difficult to find clear information about this. I am thinking to take the usual: painkillers, fluid replacement, sterile swabs, cold medicines, anti-histamines, diarrhoea medicine. What else?

1 Answer
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First and foremost, a few spares of any medications you may need for conditions you have.

Gauze pads, tape, and antibiotic ointment for "road rash".

A few assorted adhesive bandages.

Hydrocortisone ointment, for insect bites and "butt burn".

Probably some aspirin or other OTC pain med/NSAID.

Some money (seriously).

Sunblock and insect repellant don't really count as "first aid" items, but you should have them, generally in a different location, for easy access and in case of leakage. You may also want ear plugs, if you'll be sleeping in tight quarters with other bikers, and snoring borthers you a lot.

Also not in the "first aid" category but worthwhile is "butt butter", especially if you wear standard biking shorts.

In at least 5000 miles of multi-day touring I've only ever needed the road rash stuff, sunblock, insect repellant, hydrocortisone, and aspirin (to help me sleep), plus decongestants that I take for a congenital condition.

Maybe Aspirin is not the ideal candidate for a pain med as it acts blood-thinning. This can be in best case annoying when wounds take longer to build up some scab but can also be dangerous if for some bigger wound the blood flow doesn't stop.
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Benedikt BauerFeb 8 '13 at 13:27

@BenediktBauer -- It's up to the individual to pick an appropriate pain med/NSAID, based on their experience/needs. I've never had any problems with aspirin.
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Daniel R HicksFeb 8 '13 at 16:50

Carrying your credit card is probably the best way to be covered for mayhem on the road...
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Steve H.Feb 8 '13 at 18:31

@DanielRHicks Sure, I just wanted to have it mentioned as it could be important for some people.
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Benedikt BauerFeb 9 '13 at 12:19